Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Left your t-shirt in my room, still smells of you
And the picture you hung on the door lay smashed
Picture perfect
Explains now, clearly nothing left but a memory
We only made out, you never kissed me
That's how I learned to hold back all feeling
Wait, please don't go
I won't stay
All these words on replay
I'm okay, It's alright
Good to know that your fine
Pretending everything is right
To make it better
I'll hide my make up smeared eyes
To show that I tried
Some how you have managed to get under my skin
More than anyone ever did
And if every hole makes a scar
And every scar marks its place
Then I will never live freely without your trace
And it'll never be fair
I wrote my songs for you and you never even cared
So I'll forget you, I'll wash your t-shirt
Kill the pillow and cut you out of pictures
Wait, please don't go
I won't stay
All these words on replay
I'm okay, It's alright
Good to know that your fine
Pretending everything is right
To make it better
I'll hide my make up smeared eyes
This drama sat shot gun
My eyes rained like autumn
Only the glove box knows
How the story goes
Now that this bandage is broken and the cuts left in open
I'll tell you just one thing, this wasn't worth the sting
Left your t-shirt in my room, still smells of you
And the picture you hung on the door lay smashed
Picture perfect
And the picture you hung on the door lay smashed
Picture perfect
Explains now, clearly nothing left but a memory
We only made out, you never kissed me
That's how I learned to hold back all feeling
Wait, please don't go
I won't stay
All these words on replay
I'm okay, It's alright
Good to know that your fine
Pretending everything is right
To make it better
I'll hide my make up smeared eyes
To show that I tried
Some how you have managed to get under my skin
More than anyone ever did
And if every hole makes a scar
And every scar marks its place
Then I will never live freely without your trace
And it'll never be fair
I wrote my songs for you and you never even cared
So I'll forget you, I'll wash your t-shirt
Kill the pillow and cut you out of pictures
Wait, please don't go
I won't stay
All these words on replay
I'm okay, It's alright
Good to know that your fine
Pretending everything is right
To make it better
I'll hide my make up smeared eyes
This drama sat shot gun
My eyes rained like autumn
Only the glove box knows
How the story goes
Now that this bandage is broken and the cuts left in open
I'll tell you just one thing, this wasn't worth the sting
Left your t-shirt in my room, still smells of you
And the picture you hung on the door lay smashed
Picture perfect
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
Make-Up Smeared Eyes (Acoustic Version) Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
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Mountain Song
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Punchline
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This song breaks my heart
Its such a great song!